Claims
- 1. A down-hole tubular with reduced corrosion, clogging, and fluid flow friction while producing fluids from a fluid producing formation, the down-hole tubular comprising:a tubular body having a sidewall made of a corrosion resistant alloy, the sidewall having a chromium content of at least 9% by weight throughout; wherein the sidewall up the tubular body defines an inside diameter surface interior to the sidewall, the inside diameter surface having been subjected to an electropolishing process, the resulting electropolished inside diameter surface having an arithmetic roughness value of less than 100 micro inches; and wherein in addition to an electropolishing process, said tubulars are produced by a process including the steps of: subjecting each inside diameter surface to a chemical pickling treatment to remove contaminants from each inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing treatment before electropolishing; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a post-electropolishing treatment to remove byproducts of the electropolishing treatment and assist drying; connecting the plurality of down-hole tubulars together to form a production pipe; and wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing step includes honing the inside diameter surface of each tubular with a brush consisting of hardened carbide beads formed on the ends of polyester brush bristles.
- 2. The down-hole tubular according to claim 1, wherein the chromium content is less than 75% by weight.
- 3. The down-hole tubular according to claim 1, wherein the chromium content is about 60% by weight.
- 4. The down-hole tubular according to claim 1, wherein the arithmetic roughness value is less than 50 micro inches.
- 5. The down-hole tubular according to claim 1, wherein the arithmetic roughness value is about 30 micro inches or less.
- 6. The down-hole tubular according to claim 1, wherein the length of the tubular body is at least twenty-five feet, and the tubular body has an outside diameter up to about eleven inches.
- 7. The down-hole tubular according to claim 1, wherein the length of the tubular body is at least twenty-five feet, and the inside diameter is at least one inch.
- 8. The down-hole tubular according to claim 1, wherein the length of the tubular body is between about two feet and about 10 feet, and the inside diameter is at least one inch.
- 9. The down-hole tubular according to claim 1, wherein the tubular body has an outside diameter in the range from about 2{fraction (1/16)} inches to about 10¾ inches.
- 10. A method of producing fluids through a well bore extending from a fluid-producing formation to the earth's surface, the method comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of down-hole tubulars, each down-hole tubular being made of a corrosion resistant alloy, each down-hole tubular having an inside diameter and an inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a chemical pickling treatment to remove contaminants from each inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing treatment; subjecting each inside diameter surface to an electropolishing treatment to produce a smooth surface having an arithmetic roughness value of less than 100 micro inches; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a post-electropolishing treatment to remove byproducts of the electropolishing treatment and assist drying; connecting the plurality of down-hole tubulars together to form a production pipe; locating the production pipe within the well bore adjacent the fluid-producing formation; producing the fluids to the earth's surface through the inside diameter of the down-hole tubulars; and wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing step includes honing the inside diameter surface of each tubular with a brush consisting of hardened carbide beads formed on the ends of polyester brush bristles.
- 11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the corrosion resistant alloy has at least 9% by weight of chromium.
- 12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the corrosion resistant alloy has less than 75% by weight of chromium.
- 13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the corrosion resistant alloy has about 60% by weight of chromium.
- 14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the smooth surface has an arithmetic roughness value of less than 70 micro inches.
- 15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the smooth surface has an arithmetic roughness value of about 30 micro inches.
- 16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the the tubulars are pickled prior to mechanical finishing, which procedure comprises the steps of:subjecting each inside diameter surface to a dilute nitric/hydrofluoric acid solution which is pumped into the inside diameter of the tubulars.
- 17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to an electropolishing treatment comprises the steps of:conductively coupling each inside diameter surface to a cathode of a direct current power source; contacting each inside diameter surface with a preselected electrolyte solution; conductively coupling a conductor to an anode of the direct current power source; submerging the conductor in the electrolyte solution; electropolishing each inside diameter surface by supplying a current from the direct current power source; removing the electrolyte solution from each inside diameter surface after each inside diameter surface has been electropolished; and counter-flow rinsing each inside diameter surface to remove and recover the electropolishing solution.
- 18. A method of producing fluids through a well bore extending from a fluid-producing formation to the earth's surface, the method comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of down-hole tubulars, each down-hole tubular being made of a corrosion resistant alloy, each down-hole tubular having an inside diameter and an inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a chemical pickling treatment to remove contaminants from each inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing treatment; subjecting each inside diameter surface to an electropolishing treatment to produce a smooth surface having an arithmetic roughness value of less than 100 micro inches; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a post-electropolishing treatment to remove byproducts of the electropolishing treatment and assist drying; connecting the plurality of down-hole tubulars together to form a production pipe; locating the production pipe within the well bore adjacent the fluid-producing formation; producing the fluids to the earth's surface through the inside diameter of the down-hole tubulars; and wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a post-electropolishing treatment comprises the steps of: soaking each inside diameter surface in dilute nitric acid to remove chemical residues and byproducts of the electropolishing treatment; rinsing each inside diameter surface with water to remove remaining traces of chemical byproducts and residue.
- 19. A method of producing fluids through a well bore extending from a fluid-producing formation to the earth's surface, the method comprising the steps of:providing a plurality of down-hole tubulars, each down-hole tubular being formed of a carbon steel alloy, each down-hole tubular having an inside diameter and an inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a chemical pickling treatment to remove contaminants from each inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing treatment; subjecting each inside diameter surface to an electropolishing treatment to produce a smooth surface having an arithmetic roughness value of less than 100 micro inches; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a post-electropolishing treatment to remove byproducts of the electropolishing treatment and assist drying; connecting the plurality of down-hole tubulars together to form a production pipe; locating the production pipe within the well bore adjacent the fluid-producing formation; producing the fluids to the earth's surface through the inside diameter of the down-hole tubulars; and wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing step includes honing the inside diameter surface of each tubular with a brush consisting of hardened carbide beads formed on the ends of polyester brush bristles.
- 20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the smooth surface has an arithmetic roughness value of less than 70 micro inches.
- 21. The method according to claim 19, wherein the smooth surface has an arithmetic roughness value of about 30 micro inches.
- 22. The method according to claim 19, wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a cleansing treatment comprises the steps of:subjecting each inside diameter surface to a dilute hydrochloric acid solution which is pumped into the inside diameter of the tubulars.
- 23. The method according to claim 19, wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to an electropolishing treatment comprises the steps of:conductively coupling each inside diameter surface to a cathode of a direct current power source; contacting each inside diameter surface with a preselected electrolyte solution; conductively coupling a conductor to an anode of the direct current power source; submerging the conductor in the electrolyte solution; electropolishing each inside diameter surface by supplying a current from the direct current power source; removing the electrolyte solution from each inside diameter surface after each inside diameter surface has been electropolished; and counter-flow rinsing each inside diameter surface to remove and recover the electropolishing solution.
- 24. The method according to claim 19, wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a post-electropolishing treatment comprises the steps of:rinsing each inside diameter surface with water to remove remaining traces of chemical byproducts and residue; drying each inside diameter surface to remove all moisture; and applying a rust inhibitor treatment to each inside diameter surface.
- 25. A method of completing a well bore using a string of carbon steel drill pipe having a drill bit afixed thereto for disintegrating earthen formations, the method comprising the steps of:providing a string of drill pipe made up of a plurality of pipe sections formed of carbon steel, each pipe section having an inside diameter and an inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a chemical pickling treatment to remove contaminants from each inside diameter surface; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing treatment; subjecting each inside diameter surface to an electropolishing treatment to produce a smooth surface having an arithmetic roughness value of less than 100 micro inches; subjecting each inside diameter surface to a post-electropolishing treatment to remove byproducts of the electropolishing treatment and assist drying; connecting the plurality of pipe sections together to form the string of drill pipe; afixing a drill bit to the drill pipe and running the string of drill pipe into the well bore; circulating drilling fluid down the inside diameter of the pipe string while drilling in order to cool the drill bit and circulate drill cuttings to the well surface; and wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a mechanical finishing step includes honing the inside diameter surface of each tubular with a brush consisting of hardened carbide beads formed on the ends of polyester brush bristles.
- 26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the smooth surface has an arithmetic roughness value of less than 70 micro inches.
- 27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a cleansing treatment comprises the steps of:subjecting each inside diameter surface to a dilute hydrochloric acid solution which is pumped into the inside diameter of the tubulars.
- 28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to an electropolishing treatment comprises the steps of:conductively coupling each inside diameter surface to a cathode of a direct current power source; contacting each inside diameter surface with a preselected electrolyte solution; conductively coupling a conductor to an anode of the direct current power source; submerging the conductor in the electrolyte solution; electropolishing each inside diameter surface by supplying a current from the direct current power source; removing the electrolyte solution from each inside diameter surface after each inside diameter surface has been electropolished; and counter-flow rinsing each inside diameter surface to remove and recover the electropolishing solution.
- 29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the step of subjecting each inside diameter surface to a post-electropolishing treatment comprises the steps of:rinsing each inside diameter surface with water to remove remaining traces of chemical byproducts and residue; drying each inside diameter surface to remove all moisture; and applying a rust inhibitor treatment to each inside diameter surface.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
The present case claims priority based upon provisional application No. 60/194,265, filed Mar. 31, 2000, by the same inventors.
US Referenced Citations (17)
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
4039479 |
Jun 1992 |
DE |
Non-Patent Literature Citations (2)
Entry |
Dowell Field Data Handbook 1997, pp. 300.014-300.030.* |
Bourgoyne Jr. et al., Applied Drilling Engineering 1991, Society of Petroleum Engineers, p. 19. |
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60/194265 |
Mar 2000 |
US |